Manaslu Round Trek

This trek was officially opened to tourist in 1991, but mountaineering expedition have had made long eaccess to this area. In 1950, a party led by H.W tilman trekked from thonje tobimtank and col gimmy crossed the larkey la looking for an interesting mountain to climb. Manaslu(8156 m) was attempted by japenese expiditions every year from 1952 until 1956 when the first ascent was made. Having become known as Japanese mountain much of the information about the area was available in Japanese. The Japanese continued to dominate the climbing scene of Manaslu until 1971. A few trekkers including peripatetic Hugh Swift, Managed to obtain the trekking permit for the region but otherwise this trek always has been the domain of the mountaineering expedition, This trek is geographically spectacular and culturally fascinating circumnavigating Manaslu peak 29 (7871m) Himal Chuli (7893m) and Boudha (6672m). Much of this trek is in a region of strong Tibetan influence. We cross the Larkya- La (5213m) and descend to the Marshyangdi river and further trek down to Besishahar from where we will drive back to Kathmandu.

Sama Gumpa is an interesting spot when we look through Manaslu Himal. Manaslu, being a restricted area, there are certain formalities required by the government of Nepal in obtaining a special permit.

Day-1: Arrival in Kathmandu. Our representative fo Alfresco Adventure Travel will well-come you at the Tribhuvan International Airport and Transfer to Hotel. 1340m.

Day-2: sightseeing in ktm, Half day guided tour in Kathmandu Valley. This is the day of preparation your permits and final preparation of Trip.

Day-3: Drive from ktm to Arughat Bazzar(700 m) 5:30 hrs. This day we drive to Arughat. During our drive to Arughat we pass Trisuli River (famous for rafting), Akhu River (from Ganesh himal) and Budi Gandaki (from Mt.Manaslu). The road is nice until Dhading Bensi after that there is gravel road.It is big town of this area.

Day-4: Trek to Soti Khola is easy and nice walking. We pass the terrace of rice and millet. During our walking we see the view of Sring Himal. During our hike we pass many small villages like Mangltar, Shanta Bazaar, Arkhet etc. It takes us 4/5 hours walking to Soti Khola.

Day-5: Setikhola to Machha khola(890 m) 5-6 hrs walking. During our trek we see many local Village and their life style. It makes us more pleasure. Most of the people are from gurung caste in this area. They have their own language and cultural dress.The trail is up and down hill. We walk left side of the Budi Gandaki River. Finally we get the nice Machhakhola Goan. It lies near the Budi Gandaki. It is nice village of Gurung people.

Day-6: Machha khola to jagat(1350 m). It is 6-7 hrs of walking day crossing Machha river and head upstream along the river’s edge.

WHO IS THE MANASLU TREK FOR?Who would enjoy the Manaslu Trek? Probably most people would enjoy the trek but especially those who are interested in culture, want to get away from the crowds and commercialization of other treks, and are happy to compromise on comforts to experience authentic Nepal. For those who realise they missed the Annapurna Circuit Trek in it’s golden age will love this trek.

Do Alfresco adventure Travel arrange the trekking permits?Yes we do. No worries….

CAN I TREK THE MANASLU TREK INDEPENDENTLY / ALONE?According to the rules, you must trek as a group of at least two and be accompanied by a registered guide. so you can't.

IS THE MANASLU TREK DIFFICULT?The Lonely Planet guide book describes the Manaslu trek as tougher than most, but this is now wrong. There have been new trails put in that significantly reduce the climbing involved and reduce the exposure. The trails are now wide and good unlike in Tilman’s time (1950) where in one part the trail was a few narrow planks resting on branches that had been hammered into cracks in the rock!While some of the trails are fantastically airy, high above the Budi Gandaki river, the trails are perfect for trekking. You should be fit as there is lots of up and down, but there is nothing too extreme on this trek. Just take it easy on the decent from the pass.

HOW BUSY IS THE MANASLU CIRCUIT TREK COMPARED TO THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK?It’s anecdotal evidence, but the Annapurna circuit sees around 10,000+ trekkers per year (it was 65,000 in 1995!) compared to Manaslu’s 2,000. This information only really affects you if you trek in October, as most other months are quiet.

CAN I DO THE MANASLU CIRCUIT TREK IN REVERSE?Yes. But be wary of proper acclimatisation. The locals in Samdo and the lodge owners in Larkya Phedi come this way from Pokhara and Kathmandu as it is the fastest way.If you are not acclimatised, it will be better to come via the Budi Gandaki valley, otherwise you have several days acclimatising in Bimtang followed by a leap to 5100m which is considered risky. Read more about the Manaslu Trek in reverse here.

WHAT GEAR / CLOTHES / EQUIPMENT TO TAKE ON A TREK?As little as possible while being prepared for most likely eventualities, is a short and not-so-helpful answer. Given that the locals get by on very little indeed, it makes no sense to be carrying five changes of clothes with you when you go to visit their region.

Will I get altitude sickness?It is possible. There is no way to tell beforehand how you will be affected by the altitude. It is usually only above 3500 meters when people start to feel symptoms.

Do I need to purchase my own travel insurance?Yes. Most trips run smoothly, but once in a while something unexpected can happen, that’s why we highly recommend that before coming to Nepal you purchase travel insurance. We take all the necessary precautions to make sure your safety is at first-hand, but it is always best to have it.

Will my mobile phone work?Not Really

What is the accommodation like?We can tailor the accommodation to meet your requests. While in Kathmandu we generally stay in very nice 4-star hotels. During the treks, we will be staying in local guesthouses along the trail. The guesthouses vary, but overall are clean, charming and meet all of your needs.

Who are the guides?Alfresco Adventure Travel hires guiding professionals with a love and passion for outdoor travel and adventure. Our guides have been with us for many years and know the trails well. They all speak English very well and know how to take good care of the clients.

Will I have to carry all of my own stuff?No, unless you request to. Our porters will carry up to 12kgs of weight for each trekker. All you need to carry are your essential items for the day. The porter fee is included in the price of your trip. We plan for 1 porter for 2 trekkers in accordance to the guidelines set out by the International Porter Protection Group. If you would like more weight to be carried, please let us know. In general 12kg is more than sufficient.

Is the water and food safe?The tap and mountain water in Nepal are generally not safe to drink for tourists. Bottled water, boiling water or using water purification tablets are your best options. Tea and coffee are okay to drink.

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Why Travel With Us?

Alfresco Adventure Travel is an adventure organization in Nepal, dealing with hiking/trekking, climbing expeditions, tours, white water rafting, filming, research program in the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal. Fully aware of the potential that our country has to offer the traveler in search of a new horizon, another adventure, we endeavor to improve upon the rustic facilities of the remote without changing the pristine naturalness of the setting.

Customer Reviews

Last time in Nov, 2010, when we were there in Nepal for our Holidays, Alfresco Adventure Travel provided us very good services. We did Mountain flights, Paragliding, short trek of Annapurna & safari in chitwan. Thanks a lot Gautam for your excellent arrangements. See you again in Nepal.
Catherine & Tony Brown,
Romford
Essex RM1 1RX, UK